Boss certain AFC are yet to reach potential

David Batch wants to ensure this season’s endeavours do not prove AFC Sudbury’s high point as he aims to build on the foundations put in place.

Having taken the reins of the Yellows in the summer following a season of disappointment, Batch has evidently transformed Sudbury, taking them from a 17th-place league finish last year to a side with serious play-off aspirations and memorable cup runs.

Although this season looks certain to end without a shot at promotion via the play-offs, Batch — who was speaking following his side’s spirited 3-0 Robert Dyas Isthmian League Cup final defeat to Maidstone on Tuesday night — is delighted Sudbury are moving in the right direction, but warned there is still more to come.

“We are certainly on the right track,” he said. “Let’s be honest, we were down the wrong end of the table last year and that is a long way off to where we are now,” he said.

“We will not be a million miles off the play-offs and we have had really good runs in the cup competitions.

“Overall we have made a big step forward and the key for me is that we continue to get better and go a bit further each year.

“I’m really proud that every team I have ever had has always finished higher in the league the following season and I intend that to be the case here.

“It is all about improvement and if we keep chipping away and get better then over the course of time we can build something special.

“I hope occasions like the final won’t be our highlight.

“I want to make sure we are in finals and challenging for promotion every season because the football club and the supporters deserve that.”

Turning his attention back to the immediate matters, Batch continues to contend with matches coming thick and fast, with a rearranged trip to Redbridge tonight (7.45pm) first on the agenda of a fixture frenzy.

Saturday then sees AFC play their penultimate home game when Aveley visit The MEL Group Stadium (3pm), before hitting the road again on Tuesday for the much-anticipated rearranged game at former manager Mark Morsley’s Needham Market at Bloomfields (7.45pm) as Batch gears up for a challenging final run-in.

“The end of the season is going to be really difficult because we are on the bare threads of our squad, but we will just have to see what we can do,” he added.

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